Misconceptions
by divinexrapture
Summary: When the Golden Trio witnesses the unthinkable, new alliances will be forged. But for Harry, an alliance simply isn't enough. When he finally gets what he desires, will he be able to keep a hold of it? Or will the ultimate betrayal tear it from his grasp?
1. Nobody Likes Change, Well Maybe This Cha

A/N: Rated M for language and slash. Don't like, don't read… or do what I did and read until you do like it. :) Not sure who I stole that line from, but oh well. Anyway, for all those that DO like, I'll be attempting to up my smut writing skills(and by up them, I mean discover them, haha!), so maybe we'll have some _real_ slashy good-ness, and not just _implied_ slashy good-ness. BTW, this is set in their seventh year, but disregards all books past the fourth. So, in other words, Sirius, not dead; Dumbledore, also not dead; and Voldemort, _definitely_ not dead... yet. LOL.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did, do you really think you'd be reading this here?

* * *

"I can't wait for classes to start!" Hermione exclaimed. It was September first, and all the students attending Hogwarts were currently seated on the Hogwarts Express, and had been for the past few hours.

"What are you, insane?" Ron said, horrified. "Don't get me wrong, I love being with you guys... but I _hate_ school!"

"Oh, no you don't," Hermione said.

Harry was about to say something, but decided otherwise, for fear of what Hermione might say—or do—to him.

Just then, the compartment door slid open and in walked three students.

Harry recognized the two standing slightly behind the other right away as Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, Draco Malfoy's "bodyguards". The third person looked oddly familiar, but he couldn't put a name with the face. "Hey," he said, "where's Mal—" He stopped mid-sentence when he realized that the answer to his question was standing right in front of him. His mouth dropped open slightly, and he tried to say something along the lines of, "OH MY GOD!", but the words wouldn't form. He turned to his friends in hopes of some help, but they were in the exact same predicament as he was; eyes wide and jaws dropped. Even Hermione, who was rarely surprised by anything, couldn't keep her mouth closed.

There before them, was Draco Malfoy. Or, it had been at some point in time. This was _not_ Draco Malfoy... it couldn't be! It looked more like a sad attempt at a Draco Malfoy double. The Draco Malfoy Harry knew looked nothing like this. He was of average height, _very_ skinny, had silver-blonde hair that was always slicked back, wore normal clothes, like anybody else, and had absolutely no visible piercings. This Draco Malfoy, if that is, indeed, who he really was, looked so different from the original that it was difficult to tell if they were really the same person. He was tall, slightly more muscled, and yet still frighteningly thin. He was wearing baggy black pants, a tight black T-shirt with a muggle band on it, and black dragonhide boots. And his hair was no longer slicked back... now, it hung down around his face, and the tips had been dyed a variation of blacks, blues, and purples. Harry also noticed that his left ear was pierced three times, as was his own, but his was pierced in his earlobe, while Draco's rings resided at the top of his ear.

Harry's shock was finally wearing off, but wait... was that a tongue ring?

Draco got a strange look on his face. It was a mixture of confusion, annoyance, and a small amount of fright. He turned to Goyle. "What are they staring at?" he asked the other boy.

"Uh... you," Goyle replied.

Draco looked back at the three gawking students and a smile played across his face. "Now, I know I'm pretty," he said, "but to the point where even _boys_ are speechless. Well, really, I had no idea."

He stood, waiting for an answer, expecting them to be offended for some reason he could not see. After all, he _was_ pretty. But none came. The three students didn't move; their mouths were still open and their eyes still wide.

Draco turned to Goyle, hoping for an explanation, but Goyle just shrugged. So, Draco decided to try and _make_ the students speak. He walked over to Harry so that he was standing directly in front of him. "Potter is a queer fag," he said.

Nothing.

"_HELLO!_" Draco said. "You're Harry Potter, I'm Draco Malfoy. It's my soul purpose in this life to insult you and piss you off. I've done my part, now it's your turn."

Still nothing.

'_Well,'_ Harry thought, _'at least now we know it really _is_ him.'_

Draco took a risk he wasn't very eager to make; he leaned closer to Harry and rapped his knuckles against the other boy's skull. "Hey, anybody home?" he asked. He straightened himself and then threw his hands up in exasperation when he got no reply... not the slightest movement... even from the Weasel.

He turned to leave the compartment, but stopped at the door. He put his hand on the wall and said thoughtfully, "I wonder what would happen if I were to pull out my wand and hex everyone sitting down."

He stood for a moment as if pondering the thought, never noticing as Goyle leaped from his sitting position. Then, without warning, he yanked out his wand and whirled around. He frowned at the still-frozen bodies. "Who petrified them?" he asked no one in particular. "That's no fun." He walked out of the compartment and motioned for Crabbe and Goyle to follow.

A few minutes after the boys had left, Harry spoke. "Wow," he said.

"Yeah," Ron put in.

Harry continued, "He looks so... so..."

"Sexy," Hermione finished.

Ron looked horrified. "Hermione!" he yelled.

"Well," she said, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Ron, she's only human," Harry said. "Can you blame her? And besides... she has a point."

Ron looked even more horrified. "What?"

"What?" Harry asked defensively.

"You just said that Draco Malfoy looks sexy," Ron said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yeah, so?" Harry said.

Ron looked bewildered. "So? It's Malfoy! And he's a boy!"

"Ron, you're an idiot," Harry said. "You know perfectly well that that's what I prefer."

Ron looked scared. "I thought you were joking when you told us that..."

"Oh, Merlin," Harry said, looking exasperated, "what am I going to do with you."

Ron looked extremely frightened at this.

Harry noticed this. "It's a figure of speech you stupid git!"

It was then that the train's bell sounded announcing their arrival at the platform in Hogsmeade.

One hour later, the three students were sitting in their spots at the Gryffindor table as a mountain of food appeared before them. Gasps were emitted by the new First Years, as many of them had never seen this happen before.

It wasn't until five minutes after everyone had begun to eat that Draco Malfoy finally entered the Great Hall. Every head turned to look at him.

Whispers broke out in the Hall. Mostly girls saying something along the lines of "Oooh! Who's the hottie?"

Then Dumbledore spoke. All students switched their attention onto him as he did. "Ah... so good of you to join us. Please, by all means, have a seat. Am I correct in assuming that you have a valid reason for your tardiness, Mr. Malfoy?"

Every head turned back to Draco in awe. Well, all save the Slytherins and a few select students from the other houses.

Draco made his way to the front of the Hall so that he could speak with Dumbledore more privately. All eyes followed him as he did. "Were you aware that my father was here?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "No, I wasn't."

"Well," Draco continued, "he was. Wouldn't tell me _why_ he was here... just to expect him back here tomorrow evening, as planned."

"'As planned'?" Dumbledore asked. "What do you mean, 'As planned.'?"

"I haven't the slightest clue," Draco replied. "You know how my father is. For all I know he could be coming just to humiliate me... again."

"Ah, yes... well, Lucius always did have a mind of his own."

"A little too much, if you ask me," Draco said, only half joking.

"Well," Dumbledore said, "I'm sure everything's all right. You probably have nothing to worry about. Please, join your classmates in this wonderful feast."

"Thank you, sir," Draco said. "I just thought it would be wise to tell you." He turned to walk back to his table. When he did, almost every student was still looking at him like he was Jon Bon Jovi at his twentieth anniversary rock concert. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?" he yelled. "For Merlin's sake, I don't look _that_ different!"

Everyone turned back to their food, but not before the Gryffindor's managed to get in a few good laughs at his distraught


	2. It's Only A Puppy

ATadObsessive46-Muchas gracias for the review! At least _someone's_ reading... Anyhow, I personally thought the lack of reaction was amusing, too. :grins:kisses: ---for the R/R

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The next day, Harry, Ron, and Hermione awoke early so that they could eat breakfast in private and discuss their plans for the coming school year.

They had just entered the Great Hall when Draco Malfoy stood to leave the Slytherin table. He walked toward them without making any sign that he saw them. But when he passed them, he hit Hermione with his shoulder, and they distinctly heard the words "filthy Mudblood" escape his lips.

Ron turned and was headed after him, but Harry and Hermione grabbed his robes and pulled him back into the Great Hall.

"Lemme at 'im!" Ron yelled. "I'm getting sick and tired of hearing him say that!"

"It doesn't matter, Ron," Hermione said. But both he and Harry detected a tinge of hurt in her voice.

They walked slowly to the empty Gryffindor table.

"So, what do you think that git was up so early for?" Ron asked his companions.

"Dunno," Harry replied. "And I don't care either."

"You know," Hermione said, "I'm not even hungry."

"Me either," the two boys said in unison.

"Well... since it's so early, we could go down to visit Hagrid," Ron suggested.

"Good idea," said Harry. "Let's go."

The three of them stood and exited the Great Hall.

They were just about to leave the castle when their least favorite teacher, Professor Snape, approached them.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't famous Harry Potter and his trusty sidekicks," he said. "Now, what on earth would make _you_ rise so early on the first day of school."

"We just got up early, sir," Harry replied. "We're on our way to see Hagrid."

"Hmm…" the professor said. "Very well, then. But I'm watching you three."

He hurried off toward the Great Hall.

"I'm watching you three!" Ron mimicked when Snape was out of earshot.

They all laughed as they crossed the grounds to Hagrid's hut. When they reached the door, they knocked.

"It's open!" he called. They were shocked to hear no barking from their friend's boarhound.

They opened the door and walked in.

"Oh! Hello!" he said. "Yeh want some tea? I jus' made a fresh pot. Ooh! And I made some treacle fudge last nigh'."

"Uh... we just ate," Ron lied.

"Yeah!" Harry and Hermione chimed in.

"Ahh... well that's too bad," Hagrid said. "So! What're you three up so early fer?"

"Why does everyone keep asking us that?" Ron said, annoyed.

"I was jus' curious!" Hagrid said in a hurt voice.

"Sorry," Ron replied. "We just felt like getting up early." He gestured to where Fang was lying by the fire. "Hey... what's up with him?"

"Oh! I almost fergot! Look what I got last nigh'!" Hagrid said excitedly.

"Hagrid?" Hermione asked. "Is this something you're going to get in trouble for again?"

"No!" Hagrid replied. "In fact... Dumbledore's the one that gave it ter me. Said he immediately thought o' me when he saw it."

Then, he walked over to the corner where the three noticed a large crate.

Fang growled by the fire.

Hagrid opened the crate and out came the last thing the three ever expected to see.

Instead of some strange creature they'd never heard of, out bounded a very large boarhound puppy. It immediately leapt over to Harry and began licking him furiously.

Ron and Hermione looked shocked at the sight of the huge pup.

"Umm... Hagrid?" Harry asked once he had managed to ward off the puppy.

"What?" Hagrid replied.

"Why did _this_ remind Dumbledore of you?"

"Oh!" Hagrid said, smiling. "It's so Fang'll have a friend! Though he's not too happy 'bout it." He looked confused as to why, for a moment. "It's a female," he added, grinning.

Hermione nodded approvingly. "Hmm…" she said. "What's her name?"

"Spike," Hagrid said, cheerfully.

"Spike?" Ron laughed. "For a girl? Hah! You _are_ strange!"

"What?" Hagrid said, bewildered.

"Well _I_ think it's cute," Hermione said, shooting Ron a dirty look.

"Hey," Harry said, before Ron and Hermione could start arguing, "it's getting close to class time. I think we should go."

They said goodbye to Hagrid, Spike, and Fang, and then walked slowly back up to the castle.


	3. Made of Mischief

Harry and Ron had Divination, which they always dreaded, first. As usual, they chose to be seated at a table as far as possible from Professor Trelawney, who was sitting on a pouf, by the fire.

"Come in," she said. "Have a seat anywhere."

Naturally, Lavender and Parvati sat directly in front of her.

"This term, we are going to work with mind reading," said the professor.

"Oooh!" both the girls before her said.

"Ahh..." Trelawney said, "my crystal gazing told me last night that you two will excel greatly in this field."

They beamed with pride.

Ron snorted.

"Crystal ball my foot!" he muttered to Harry. "She didn't see anything and she knows it!"

"Ahem!" Trelawney said, annoyed. "Is there something you would like to share with the rest of the class?"

"No, ma'am," Ron said, blushing.

"I see…" She glared at him. "It just so happens, Mr. Weasel, that you came up in my crystal ball also. It was very grim indeed—"

"The Grimm!" Lavender and Parvati shouted with frightened looks on their faces.

"No, no, dears," Trelawney said in a comforting voice. "I meant it was a grim sight... not _the_ Grimm."

"Oh..." they said, looking embarrassed.

"Anyway," said Professor Trelawney, "you, Mr. Weasel, will be in a terrible accident on the twenty-seventh involving your sister and a broomstick."

"I've got a question," Ron said sarcastically. "If you see and know all... how the hell can you not remember my name?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean." The professor didn't look too happy about his choice of words.

"You called me Weasel!" Ron shouted.

"Oh!" said the professor as her cheeks flushed red. "My mistake, Mr. Beasel."

"Wrong again," Ron said.

"Measel?" she asked hopefully.

"Nope." Ron smiled. He had obviously begun to enjoy this.

They went on for several minutes. Finally, Lavender decided that she was sick of Professor Trelawney being humiliated.

"Weasley!" she whispered.

The professor smiled.

"Weasley," she said proudly.

"Lavender just told you that!" Ron yelled.

"Well, I knew it all along," she said. "I just wanted to make you _think_ I didn't know it. It was in a vision I had last night. I was to lead you to believe all of this."

Harry couldn't contain himself any longer. He burst out laughing. "You wouldn't know a real vision if it smacked you upside the head!" he said.

"Excuse me?" Professor Trelawney looked bewildered.

"I've only seen you have one real vision my entire time in your class. And you know what? You thought _I_ was insane! You didn't remember a thing!" Harry argued.

"That's it!" she yelled, her eyes brimming with tears. "I want you out of my class! Both of you!"

"Anywhere but here," Ron said cheerfully. "So... where _do_ we go?"

"How about you go to Dumbledore's office," she said. She turned to Harry. "You should know where that is. The password is 'Flaming Phoenix'."

Harry and Ron turned and set off to Dumbledore's office. They were glad that they were out of Divination, but they were also a little nervous about what Dumbledore would say. When they finally reached the large gargoyle, Harry said, "Flaming Phoenix," and they began their journey up the steps.

They waited in the office for about five minutes, when finally, Dumbledore came in after them. He didn't look at all surprised to see them.

"So," he said smiling, "what did the famous mischief twins do this time? You know, you're really beginning to give Fred and George a run for their money."

Harry was relieved that Dumbledore wasn't angry with them. He went slightly red and said, "Professor Trelawney kicked us out of Divination." And he proceeded to tell him exactly what had happened.

When he finished, Dumbledore spoke. "I see," he said. "Well, I completely understand. If it weren't for the lack of professionals in her field... well, let's not get into that right now."

He glanced at a clock on the mantle beside his desk. "It's nearly time for lunch," he said. "Why don't we go to the Great Hall?"

He motioned toward the door, rose, and followed the boys out.


	4. A Class With No Creepy Crawlies?

ATadObsessive46 

God, I know. It's terrible! Anyhow, I kept seeing everyone with the same kind of divider, and I was, like, "How the hell did they do that?" And then i saw that and thought I'd experiment, and it worked! YAY!

JadeLilyMalfoy  
Child, you didn't piss me off in the slightest. I was merely enforcing our views of Draco's sex god-ness. LOL, you're silly.

* * *

Lunch had just finished, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione were on their way to their Care of Magical Creatures class. They laughed and talked about what Dumbledore had said as they made their way down to Hagrid's hut. When they arrived, they were surprised to see no large crates or strange creatures in sight.

"Uh... Hagrid?" Harry asked. "What's going on? Are we not having class, or something?"

"What?" Hagrid replied. "Of course we're having class! Why would you ask something like that?"

"Well..." Harry said cautiously, "I don't see anything with wings, horns, or stingers..."

"Oh... that," Hagrid said. "We're going ter have a very, er... different kind of class today."

"What do you mean?" Ron inquired.

"Well," Hagrid said, "since I got Spike, I kind of... er... well, I fergot ter set up a class."

"So what are we going to do?" Hermione asked.

"We're going ter play with Spike," Hagrid replied.

"Hmm… sounds fun," said an all too familiar voice.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned to see none other than Draco Malfoy and his two henchmen, Crabbe and Goyle.

Draco smirked. "Well... I can't say I'm surprised," he said.

"Shove off, Malfoy," Harry said.

"Ooooh... I'm hurt, Potter!" Draco retorted. "No, really! I'm going to go sit in a corner and cry!"

Ron smiled sarcastically.

"All righ', all righ'," Hagrid said before Ron could get out his remark. "Let's get ter the class." He turned to the rest of the students and said, "I've decided ter be nice and give you the first day off." He winked at his three companions. "All we're going ter do today, is play with Spike. Figure out what she likes ter do... what she eats... things like that."

There was a chorus of cheers from the Gryffindors, and though they tried to hide it, the Slytherins were obviously happy about not having to feed anything that could kill them.

The lesson passed very quickly. All the girls ooh'd and awe'd over Spike. Even the Slytherin girls couldn't convince anyone that they didn't like the lesson.

* * *

Short, sorry, deal with it. Review and maybe I'll post more. Maybe. Only if you behave... 


	5. Third Time's A Charm

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were on their way toward the Great Hall for dinner when Harry spoke.

"Does anyone else feel like skipping dinner?" he asked looking over at his companions. They nodded.

"Let's go back to the common room," Hermione said. "We can go see Hagrid again after dinner." They all agreed and set off for Gryffindor Tower.

Once they were all seated on the couch before the fire, Hermione started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Ron asked.

"Oh," Hermione replied. "Well, now that we're back in here, I'm hungry." And she started cracking up again.

"Yeah," Harry said, "me too." And he, too, started laughing.

Ron just looked at them.

"You two're mental!" he said. He stood up and headed for the Boy's dormitories.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked, but Ron ignored her. A few minutes later, he returned holding a small sack.

"Engorgio," he said pointing his wand at the bag.

"Here." He threw the sack between his two friends. They opened it and helped themselves to the sweets.

"Thanks," Harry said through a mouthful of Chocolate Frog.

"You owe me," Ron said.

They sat and talked until everyone came back from dinner. As soon as the first person walked in, they stood and made their way, for the third time that day, to Hagrid's hut. When they reached it, they knocked.

"I guess you three are going fer a world record," Hagrid said when he opened the door.

"What?" Harry asked.

"How many times have you been down here today?" Hagrid smiled.

"Well, we weren't very hungry—" Harry began.

"_I_ wasn't hungry," Ron interrupted. "You two downed nearly all my sweets when we got back to the common room."

Harry and Hermione grinned sheepishly.

"So," Hagrid said, "what brings you here this time?"

"We were bored," Hermione said.

Hagrid offered them some tea and treacle fudge... again. They accepted the tea and claimed they weren't hungry... again. And then they sat and talked for a long while... again. By the time Harry looked at his watch, it was almost 9:30.

"Uh... we should probably go now," he said, and the three stood and left the hut.


	6. The Secret's Out

Harry, Ron, and Hermione proceeded through the large stone doors at the entrance of the castle with every intention of going to bed, but they were subdued. A large crowd had formed at the front of the Main Hall. The three students pushed their way past the gawkers. What they then saw was so shocking that Ron nearly collapsed with glee. Lucius Malfoy stood with a menacing look on his face, and the boy cowering against the wall before him was none other than his only son, Draco.

Lucius then mumbled something that only Draco could hear. He stood impatiently as his son's eyes dropped to the ground.

"Well?" he said.

Draco looked up at his father, apparently contemplating his answer with extreme caution. Then, he finally summoned the courage to speak. "No," he said, and braced himself.

His father's fist struck like lightening, colliding hard with his left cheek. He put his hand to his face and sank to the floor, fighting back the tears begging to break free. _Not in front of everyone,_ he thought. _Especially Potter. I'll never hear the end of it!_ It was then that he realized his father had begun to yell at him.

"You ungrateful brat!" he roared. "You're a disgrace to the family! You have no idea how humiliating it is to have you as a son! The fact that I even know you disgusts me!" And with that, he glided off. When he reached the crowd, he glared at them.

"Out of my way!" he yelled as he shoved Harry aside. The rest of the students parted for him to pass, and when the doors had finally closed behind him, they turned back to face Draco.

He was still huddled on the floor. He looked up and searched the crowd. Every few seconds his eyes would come to rest on those of a different student. Some of them had looks of remorse, some of hate, and others, like Ron's, sheer happiness at his humiliation and distraught. Finally, his eyes met those of the all too familiar Harry Potter.

_Potter!_ he thought, and he could only wonder what cruel joke would come flying out of Harry's mouth in the next few seconds. But none did. He just stared back at Draco. Neither of them said a word. In fact, they didn't even move, except for their breathing and occasional blinking.

They watched each other for what seemed like hours, but try as he might, Draco could not tell what the other boy was thinking. He stared into Harry's piercing green eyes until he could no more, and jerked his gaze back to the ground. But Harry continued to watch him. Finally, he walked forward and stopped before Draco, never taking his eyes from him.

_Here it comes..._ thought Draco. But to his amazement and everyone else's, Harry said nothing. Instead, he extended his hand. There was a buzz of chatter at this gesture, and a few girls at the back gasped.

_It's got to be some sort of joke!_ Draco thought. _I'll reach up to take his hand, he'll pull it back, and everyone will laugh. _He sat for a moment staring up at Harry, his hand still pressed hard against his cheek. At last, he made his decision. He removed his hand from his face and slowly reached up to grasp Harry's, all the time expecting him to withdraw... but he didn't. Harry held Draco's hand firmly in his own and helped him to his feet.

Harry smiled. Draco tried to do the same, but the second he did, he winced from the pain and his hand shot instinctively back to his face.

Just then, Professor McGonagall appeared. "What is going on here?" she said as she rushed up to the boys. She had obviously gotten the wrong impression. It wasn't too hard to figure out her thoughts on the situation. There she stood before two boys she knew had been enemies since the day that they met; one, no doubt, had taken a hard hit to the face.

"I want an explanation now!" she yelled when no one spoke.

"Well," Harry replied, "umm... you see Professor... it's like this—"

"He didn't do it, Professor," Draco said before Harry could even think of a story to tell.

"Well, then who did?" the professor said. _'He's lying!'_ a voice in the back of her mind said. _But why would he lie to help Potter? _she argued. _They_ hate _each other!_

Draco hesitated for a moment, trying to decide whether to tell her the truth, or make something up, as he suspected Harry had been about to do. But before he could, she realized that they were still being watched by over a hundred pair of eyes. She turned. "Well what are you waiting for?" she said. "Go on, shoo! Back to your dormitories at once!"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned to walk back with the rest of the students.

"You three get back here," she said, pointing at them.

She turned back to Draco. "I'm still waiting for an answer," she said.

Draco decided to tell her what had really happened, seeing as how it would to be all over the school by the morning anyway. He stared at the ground.

"My father," he muttered.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Malfoy, but you're going to have to speak up," she said. She was beginning to lose her temper.

Draco looked up at her. His grey-blue eyes fell upon hers. And then it happened: his eyes began to fill with tears. He tried to fight them, but it was impossible now.

"It was my father, all right?" he said, and tried to turn and return to his dormitory, but she caught his arm before he could.

He didn't want to turn around again. He didn't think he could bear for anyone to see him like this. After what had just happened, he didn't think Potter would say anything, but the other two... he wasn't sure they would be turned so quickly... and he wasn't keen to find out at the moment. So, he just stood there, facing the other direction with his arm twisted around his back.

Professor McGonagall turned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, still clutching Draco's arm.

"Well?" she asked them. "Is this true?"

They nodded their heads in reply.

"Hmm…" she said. "All right, you may go."

"Not you, Mr. Malfoy." she said as he tried to squirm free of her grip. "We're going to have a nice long talk in my office... one that I'm sure your father would love to be included in."

A look of horror spread across his tear-streaked face, and he thanked God his three classmates couldn't see him.


	7. What in the Bloody Hell

Look at that, I don't even know the content of my own chapters. Wow... I'm an idiot. Sorry for the mishap, I assure you, it won't happen again. Actually, it probably will... bite me.

* * *

Back in the Gryffindor Common Room, Ron paced the floor while Harry sat staring into the fire.

_Not even Malfoy deserved that!_ Harry thought. _It was just cruel... and—_

"What in the bloody hell just happened?" Harry's thoughts were interrupted by Ron's vulgarity.

"I don't know," Harry replied, "but I always thought that there was something wrong with that family..."

"Huh?" Ron said, confused. "I wasn't talking about Malfoy and his dad... I was talking about you!"

"Now Ron," said Hermione, who had been sitting in a chair near the fire also, "don't tell me you wouldn't have done the same if you were Harry."

"If I were Harry, maybe," he said. "But I'm not."

Hermione looked at him.

"No, you're not," she said. "But you saw what happened. Even _I_ can't bring myself to hate Malfoy after that!"

"HELLO!" Ron said. "Have you two completely forgotten who we're talking about? This is Malfoy! As in, 'I'm better than all of you because I come from hundreds of generations of pure-bred witches and wizards'! Aren't you forgetting what he's called Hermione for three years? I believe it's that same thing he called her this morning! Or need I remind you? _'Filthy Mudblood'_."

"I'm well aware of what he called me!" Hermione snapped back. "But did you ever stop to think, _'Hmm… maybe there's a reason Malfoy's so cruel.'_. He's cruel because his father's cruel. Don't you see? This obviously isn't the first time his father's hit him."

"What makes you think that?" Ron persisted, refusing to give up.

"Didn't you see the way he cringed when he said no? He knew what was coming. I'd be willing to bet every extra credit assignment I get this year that Malfoy's father beats him."

They all sat there for a few minutes, not saying a word.

"But it doesn't make any sense," Harry said finally. "Malfoy always talks about his father with a sense of pride. I don't know how many times I've heard the words 'If my father ever knew about this!', or 'Wait 'till my father hears about this!', or 'My father always said!...' come out of his mouth."

"Hmm…" Hermione said.

They sat for a few minutes longer.

"Maybe it's a cover-up," Hermione suggested. "Maybe he only says those things so that no one will know he's being abused."

"Maybe," Harry said.

"Or maybe he thinks that that's the way it's supposed to be," she said again. "I mean... he was probably raised that way."

"Or maybe Malfoy's a brainless git and we shouldn't care what happens either way!" Ron said sarcastically.

"Ron Weasley!" Hermione yelled. "Don't you dare try and tell me that you don't care!"

"Well, I don't," Ron replied.

"Yes you do!" said Hermione.

"Oh no I don't," Ron said. "I could care less what happens to him… or any other member of his family, for that matter. In fact, the whole lot of them can just disappear! Now that would make me happy…"

He smiled, lost in his own little fantasy of everyone in the Malfoy family dying in some freak accident.

"Well," Hermione said, "like it or not, Malfoy is a human being—"

Ron snorted. "Human being my eye!" he muttered.

"—And like it or not, _Ron_," Hermione continued, "he does have feelings. He's not a robot. He may be heartless sometimes, but he's not soulless."

"A bowrot?…" Ron asked confused. "What?"

"It's something Muggles—" Harry began, but Hermione cut him off.

"Oh, don't even bother," she said. "He's too dense to figure it out."

"I am not!" Ron shouted.

"Stop it! Both of you!" Harry said. "Look… maybe we should just get some sleep. We'll talk about it in the morning. Let's have an early breakfast again tomorrow."

They nodded in agreement, and slowly made their way up the stairs and into their dormitories.


	8. The Not So Subconscious Dream

Shizzy title... short, a bit odd, gimme a break. And now, after _this_ chapter you can have the one I gave you by accident. God, I'm an idiot.

* * *

Harry awoke with a start. He looked at his watch. It was nearly 3:30AM. Why had he been startled from his dream? Come to think of it… what had he been dreaming about in the first place?

He sat for a moment trying to recall what he had seen in his sleep.

Then he remembered. The vision of Lucius Malfoy hitting his son flashed across his mind. But had that been a dream? He heard rustling across the room.

He sat up.

"Ron?" he whispered. "Ron, is that you?"

"Yeah," his friend replied.

"Ron, that thing that happened with Malfoy… was that a dream? Or did it actually happen?" he asked.

"Oh, it happened all right," Ron said. "And it was bloody messed up too."

"Oh… I thought it was just me," said Harry.

"Nope," Ron said. "We all saw it."

"Hmm…."

Harry sat and thought for a moment. "OK," he said. "Well… I'm going back to bed now. Goodnight."

"G'night," Ron replied.

There was a few minutes silence, in which Harry was still sitting up in his bed, and then:

"Harry?" Ron asked.

"Yeah Ron?" Harry said.

"What is a bowrot anyway?"

"Ugh!" Harry said, flopping back on his bed. "I'm gonna kill Hermione for that one!"

* * *

I'll give you the next chapter sooner than usual, since this one is so short. Anyhow, you know how much I just L0VE reviews, so GiMME! 


	9. Confronting the Enemy

First off, I'm sorry about the mishap in which this chapter was posted as chapter seven... I was half asleep and hadn't had my coffee yet. So, _now_ you can have this chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

Harry, Ron, and Hermione sneaked out of the dormitories early the next morning. They walked to the Great Hall with much on their minds. What they saw when they arrived made Ron and Hermione realize why Harry had suggested that they repeat their actions from the previous day. There in the deserted hall was a very shifty Draco Malfoy.

Harry began to walk toward him. Ron grabbed his arm. "Uh… Harry," he said cautiously. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Harry replied. "I'm going to go talk to him."

"Why exactly?" Ron persisted.

Hermione glared at him as though she were trying to burn a hole through his head. Ron got her point and released Harry, who continued walking toward Draco. When he reached the Slytherin table, he did the exact thing he never thought he would... he sat down directly in front of his fellow student. Draco looked up.

"I think we should talk," Harry said.

Draco shifted his gaze to the empty Staff table. "Sod off, Potter," he said. But Harry could tell he didn't mean it.

Ron and Hermione came slowly to be seated on either side of Harry.

"We're not leaving until you tell us what happened," Harry said.

Draco looked back at him. "Why?" he said. "You were there. Or are you really so dense that you can't figure it out from that?"

Ron looked disgusted at this remark and was about to say something, but Harry held up his hand for silence.

"How long has this been going on?" he asked.

Draco tried to maintain eye contact, but couldn't.

"Always," he said quietly.

"Why didn't you ever tell anyone about it?"

Harry was obviously going to interrogate him until he was sufficiently informed, so, Draco decided to play along.

"Hmm…" he said sarcastically, "let's think about this for a moment. I piss him off; he hits me. I do what he wants; he hits me. I mind my own fucking business; he hits me. And so ends the wonderfully interesting story of Draco Malfoy. Now, I hope you don't find this too terribly strange, but I rather like not knowing what he'd do to me if I _told_ someone. And besides… who am I going to tell? It's not like I have any friends."

"What about Crabbe and Goyle?" Hermione said. "Or Pansy?"

Draco snorted. "You think I actually _like_ Pansy? Well, I suppose she's the best option of all of them… just annoying as hell most of the time. And as for Crabbe and Goyle… their not friends… no. It's more like their parents told them to pretend they liked me because they're all afraid of my father. Then again, who isn't?"

Harry couldn't help himself; he had to smile at that last comment.

"What?" Draco asked.

"Oh, nothing," Harry replied. "But I just took it as a personal challenge to try and find someone who's not afraid of your father. Well... besides Dumbledore and Voldemort."

Harry saw Ron cringe at his last word.

"Oh, get used to it!"

Harry turned back to Draco. "So, umm… just out of curiosity," he said, "why _was_ your father here, anyway?"

Draco went impossibly pale, seeing as how he was naturally a very pale person.

"Oh…" he said. "Well… I, uh… he… I've got to go."

And he stood to leave the table. But Hermione was quicker. By the time he had risen, she already had her wand out.

"Sit," she said firmly, and he did so, but he didn't say anything.

"Well?" Ron said.

Finally, Draco looked down and answered. "He came to make me choose my side," he said quietly. "He told me I have to pick before I turn seventeen. He asked me if I would go with him to the side of Voldemort."

This startled Harry, as he had never heard anyone aside from Dumbledore and himself use Voldemort's real name.

"Well," Hermione said, "at least he gave you a choice."

"Not really," Draco said as he looked up. "Yes, it was technically a question, but it wasn't really a question... more like a command in the form of a question. And, when I said no…." He trailed off.

"You mean, you chose our side?" Harry said, now even more startled than before. "You chose to... to _fight_ Voldemort?"

"Yes, well... surprising as it may be, I'm not like my father," Draco said. Then he smiled. "And besides, if I get a chance to kill him while I'm at it... who cares which side I'm on?"

"Yeah," Harry said, "you've got a point there. I'm just glad you're on our side... you're a powerful wizard."

Draco looked at him, shocked. "Uh... thanks," he said.

Just then, a flock of students began to file their way sleepily into the Great Hall. The four students looked up.

"I'd better go," Draco said. "They probably all know by now."

"Yeah," Harry said turning to Ron and Hermione. "We should go too."

They walked silently toward the doors, catching a few stares and whispers from the more awake students in the hall. When they reached the outside hall, Hermione did what just two days ago would have been against all of her moral beliefs. She stopped, turned to Draco, and hugged him.

Draco was too shocked to do anything but stand there. When she released him, he noticed that her eyes had looks of sorrow and forgiveness in them.

She smiled when she saw the look on his face. Then, she turned and walked toward her awestruck friends.

* * *

Happy now?


	10. You'd Better Believe It

No sooner had they stepped through the portrait hole into the Gryffindor Common Room than Ron completely lost it.

"What in the bloody hell was that?" he shouted at Hermione.

She smiled. "Oh, come on, Ron. You know you're just jealous."

Ron went, if possible, redder than his hair. He looked at the ground. "So?" he said sheepishly.

Hermione laughed.

"Um... I'm going to have to agree with Ron in saying, 'What in the bloody hell was that?'" Harry said.

"Oh, whatever!" Hermione said exasperated. She stomped off to her dormitory to get changed for her classes.

Classes were, as usual, a complete and total bore. Until Double Potions with Slytherin. For once, Harry was not dreading two class periods of Snape. On the contrary… he was quite looking forward to it. But only because he was anxious to take a stab at a civil conversation with Draco, hoping that their utter hate and loathe toward each other had finally receded to, if nothing more, simple tolerance.

Harry walked into class and sat at the back of the room with Ron and Hermione, waiting to move, hopefully unnoticed, when Draco appeared. To their surprise, they did not need to. When Draco arrived, alone, amazingly enough, he sat at the table right next to Harry.

"Wow," Draco said. "It's quite a different view from the back of the room."

Harry snorted and was about to say something when Snape walked in.

"All right, class," Snape said, "today, we are going to try something different. Since I can't seem to get you to SHUT UP this year, what with you having the freedom to sit next to your friends, we will have assigned partners. Now, when I call your names, please sit at the table I point to; God knows you can't figure out a pattern by yourselves. —" He glared at them. "— Weasley, Goyle; —" He pointed to the first table. "— Finnigan, Zabini; —" He pointed at the second table. "— Granger, Longbottom; —"

Silence fell in the room…. You could have heard a pin drop. Every eye turned toward Snape, and Snape, in turn looked from his parchment to the shocked class. "See," he said, "I'm in a bit of a, well, a good mood today." The class exchanged odd looks and continued gathering their belongings to change tables.

(A/N: I know that was all majorly OOC… oh well, not my problem.)

"— Thomas, Crabbe; —" He pointed at the fourth table, (and I'm sure you've all figured out a pattern, so I'm going to stop writing this stuff in). "— Parkinson, Brown; — Malfoy, Potter; —"

Harry paid no attention to the rest of the names called as he and Draco moved up to the table behind Seamus and Blaise. When they had situated themselves, Harry turned to Draco. "Okay, I'm going to shove a bit of pointless hope toward us being civil to each other in the future."

Draco looked up at Harry, the slightest trace of a smile on his lips. "And why would this be a _pointless_ hope?"

"Because I… well, I—I didn't think that…. You know, I don't know," Harry returned.

Draco suppressed a laugh. "Harry, Harry, Harry…."

Harry's head shot up.

"What?" Draco asked.

"Oh, nothing," Harry replied. "I'm just so used to you calling me Potter."

"Yeah, well… I got sick of calling you Potter."

"What if I don't want you to call me Harry?"

"Well, then you have a bit of a problem, don't you? Now I'm gonna call you Harry just to spite you."

"You're impossible, you know?" Harry said, annoyed at the fact that he was not going to win.

"Ah, Harry, you poor naïve little thing. That's what makes it fun!"

"Whatever."

Draco smirked, knowing he had hit the spot with his former rival.


	11. The Match

Wow... it's certainly been a long time... Well, I was gonna try to bridge the gap between the last chapter and this one, but no inspiration came to me, so I'm just gonna get on with it and post. So, yeah... Here ya go, hope ya like.

* * *

Time passed quickly over the next few months.

Harry and Draco slowly became, to say the least, very close friends, and even Ron and Hermione warmed up to the Slytherin.

Without its famous rivals, the school was much friendlier. Students from the opposing houses very rarely attempted to kill each other.

And now, it was the day of the first Quidditch match.

Slytherin versus Gryffindor.

The Gryffindor Quidditch team walked out on the field to roaring applause, Ginny Weasley as the new Keeper and Alicia Spinnet as the new Captain.

The players from both teams mounted their brooms and took their positions as Madam Hooch opened the crate containing the balls.

She released the Snitch and the Bludgers, and then, finally, the Quaffle.

"AND THE GAME BEGINS, AS MADAM HOOCH HAS RELEASED THE QUAFFLE! IT'S GRYFFINDOR IN POSESSION AS SPINNET GRABS THE QUAFFLE! SHE PASSES TO JOHNSON, BACK TO SPINNET, SPINNET TO BELL, BELL TO JOHNSON, JOHNSON SHOOTS, AND, SHE SCORES! GRYFFINDOR IN THE LEAD, TEN TO ZIP… AND TEN GALLEONS SAYS THAT'S THE WAY IT'LL STAY, TOO!"

"Lee," Professor McGonagal said warningly.

"SORRY PROFESSOR. SLYTHERIN HAS THE QUAFFLE, I'D SAY THE NAMES, BUT I DON'T KNOW THEM… I HATE SLYTHERIN!"

(A/N: Yeah... that was just because _I_ don't know the Slytherin team's names….)

"LEE!"

"ONCE AGAIN, SORRY PROFESSOR…. I GET THE FEELING I'LL BE SAYING THAT A LOT TODAY…. SLYTHERIN STILL IN POSESSION, I BELIEVE CAPTAIN MARCUS FLINT HAS THE QUAFFLE. HE COMES UP ON THE GOAL POST, HE THROWS IT, AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL BLOCK BY THE YOUNGEST WEASELY! WE CAN ALL SEE THAT GINNY WEASELY DEFINITELY HAS TALENT! HMM… NOT A BAD LOOKER, EITHER."

Harry laughed as Ginny blushed several different shades of red. He tuned out the rest of the commentary as he searched the pitch for even the slightest glint of gold. He flew higher and higher until he was at least four hundred feet in the air.

Suddenly, a voice from behind startled him.

"Spotted the Snitch yet?" Draco had followed him… unnoticed, amazingly.

"No, and even if I had, I wouldn't be likely to tell you!"

"Ooh… ouch… someone's competitive…."

"I see someone else isn't," Harry retorted, still searching the air below.

Draco had just opened his mouth to reply when he saw the Snitch about a hundred feet below. He immediately did a nose-dive with Harry in hot pursuit.

Draco chanced a look behind him at Harry. "Too bad slow and steady doesn't win the race!" he called.

That's when Harry saw it. He tried to warn Draco, but there wasn't enough time.

The Bludger came out of nowhere, hitting Draco hard on the side of his head.

Draco was instantly knocked unconscious and slipped off the side of his broom.

As soon as Harry saw Draco slide from his broom, his instincts took over. He forced his broom down toward the other boy faster and faster. He was right next to the falling body when he saw the Snitch.

It was down to the worst. Catch the boy and risk losing the game, or catch the Snitch and risk losing a life.

There was no question. Harry wrapped his right arm around Draco and pulled him as best he could onto his broom.

It was very difficult to keep the other boy with him in his downward spiral, but an opportunity had appeared.

The Snitch had stopped moving. If it would just hold still for a few more seconds….

Harry stretched out his free hand. He was less than twenty feet away. Closer, closer… just a little more.

And he grabbed it.

He did his best to slow his broom down; it was very hard, considering he had no hands to pull it up with, but he finally managed it and made a safe touchdown.

He freed the Snitch, knowing that no one would have missed seeing the catch, and carefully laid Draco's still body down on the ground.

People came rushing at him from every side. His teammates, coming to congratulate him for his spectacular win; teachers to tend to his opponent; and fellow students for both reasons.

This had definitely been the most interesting game he had played.

* * *

Please review... you know how much I like reading those... And if you don't know, well, then, a lot.


	12. Nightmares

Short, I know, so sue me.

* * *

"Is he going to be okay?"

"Yes, he should wake in a few hours."

"Can I stay here with him?"

"Child, if you had asked me that last year, I would have committed you straight to St. Mungo's."

"Good thing it's not last year, then…. I like it better here."

Laughing. "Yes, you can stay."

* * *

Whimpering. 

A child running down a long corridor.

Running….

Running from something….

Someone….

Evil.

A door opens to the right.

A hand reaches out of the dark, groping for the child.

A scream.

The hand grabs the child's robes; pulls it inside.

Another scream.

The door slams shut.

Tortured screams echoing through a manor, overlooked by all but one.

A woman cries with the screams, and then….

Silence.

* * *

Draco's eyes shot open. He was breathing hard, not to mention sweating furiously. 

Something moved to his left.

Draco sat straight up in his temporary bed.

"What is it?"

Draco sank back into the pillows. It was Harry.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, I—I'm fine."

"Are you sure? God, it sounded like someone was trying to kill you."

"Really, I'm okay…. It was just a bad dream."

"Hmm…."

"What time is it?"

Harry looked at his watch. "Four forty-two."

"I'm assuming that's AM, unless we're having an unexpected solar eclipse."

Harry laughed. "Yes, it's AM."

"Just out of curiosity, why are you here?"

"Would you rather I had left you alone to wake up in the middle of the night in a completely unfamiliar place and have the life scared out of you? Because, I could have just as easily done that."

"What do you mean 'completely unfamiliar'? It's not like I've never been in the Hospital Wing before."

"True, but your brain doesn't exactly process things well at nearly five in the morning."

"Ah…."

"Why don't you just get back to sleep, I'll explain what happened in the morning."

"It is the morning."

"Oh, you know what I meant! Now go to sleep."

"Fine… goodnight."

"'Night."

But Draco didn't go back sleep. He stayed up, longingly watching the dim silhouette of Harry until the first rays of light shone brightly through the window opposite him.

* * *

Again, sorry with the shortness and such, but you're just going to have to deal with it for now. Sorry it's such a lame chapter, too. But don't let that hinder your reviewing. :wink: Hell, review just to tell me that it's shit, but still... review. 


	13. A Malfoy Doesn't Beg

Sorry this is pathetic also. At least it's a _little_ bit of comic relief... Maybe...

(A/N: Just so you know, this is now Tuesday…. So it's, uh… three days after the accident/thing.)

* * *

"Ah, bloody hell! Would you leave it alone? For God's sake! It's not my fault the damn Bludger attacked me! Do you honestly think I _wanted_ that to happen?" 

"God, Draco… we were only joking."

"Yes, well, I've had enough joking for one day! Now leave it be!"

Pansy sank back in her chair with resignment… pouting, of course.

"Oh God, Pansy," Draco said. "Not the face. I hate the face! Make the face stop!"

Pansy stuck out her lip even further.

"ARGH! That's it! If you're gonna make the face, then I'm leaving!"

"Wait, Drakie! Don't go, I'll stop, I promise!"

"Nope, too late, I'm gone."

Draco stood and walked from the Slytherin table and toward the door, but stopped when he neared it.

"Damn it all to hell," he said. "I'm still bloody hungry!"

He turned and made his way toward the Gryffindor table instead.

When he reached it, he crouched down between Harry and Ron. "Pansy's insufferable. Can I sit over here?"

"Only if you beg," Ron said.

"A Malfoy doesn't beg," Draco said annoyed. His stomach was beginning to growl loudly.

"Well," Hermione said. "Then you'll just have to go back to your table… next to Pansy." Then she added thoughtfully, "Or, you could always starve to death…."

Draco looked over at Pansy, whose lower lip was stuck so far out that she quite closely resembled a fish. "Damn you!" he whispered. "I hope you all go to hell for this!"

"If we do, we'll be sure to save you a spot," Harry said. "Now beg."

"God I hate you three. Fine, can I please sit here?"

"That was the most pathetic begging I've ever heard! Come on, you've got to put some feeling into it!"

Draco glared at Harry. "I swear to God, if my father hears about this. You'll be paying far worse than I do."

Harry grinned manically.

"Ugh," Draco said. "Please, please, please can I sit here? I'm begging you, please! Don't make me sit next to Pansy! It's torture!"

"Ah, that's better," Harry said. "Hey Neville, can you scoot down one?"

Harry thanked Neville as he, too, moved a seat over and allowed Draco to sit in his former spot.

Hermione sighed. "I never thought I'd see the day when we were making room at the Gryffindor Table for Draco Malfoy."

"I never thought I'd see the day when Malfoy was _begging_ to sit at the Gryffindor Table," Ron laughed.

Draco smiled sarcastically at Ron. "You all are evil, you know?"

"We know," Harry said. "It's just so fun!"

The four talked through the rest of dinner, the trio never missing a chance to torment Draco about the Quidditch match.

"Well," Draco said finally, "I'm off!"

"But we're not finished making fun of you!" Ron said.

"Yeah, about that… I can get that from my housemates."

"Fine," Harry said. "Take all the fun away."

"My pleasure!" Draco said, and he left.

Ten minutes later, Harry was the only one left seated at the Gryffindor table.

He was just standing to leave when Hedwig fluttered down on the table in front of him.

"Hedwig, what the? It's past nine! Why the hell would you have mail for me right now?"

Hedwig said nothing, of course, but merely stuck out her leg for Harry to relieve her of her burden.

The second it was untied, she took off again.

Harry unfolded the parchment and read the neat scrawl:

_Harry,_

_Meet me in the empty classroom on the fifth floor, two o'clock AM._

_Don't be late._

It was unsigned.

"What the hell was that all about?" Harry said to himself. "Oh well, guess there's only one way to find out.

* * *

REViEW! 


	14. Coming Out

_Now_ for the good stuff. It's still terrible because _I_ wrote it, but hey... at least this is what you all have been waiting for.

* * *

Harry walked into the deserted classroom at 2:00AM, just as the note had said. He expected to see someone waiting for him, but, he was alone… or so he thought.

After about five minutes, a boy appeared out of nowhere. It was Draco.

Harry gasped. "Where did you come from? You scared the hell out of me!"

Draco laughed. "Don't tell me you actually thought that you were the only one in the school with an invisibility cloak."

"Did you call me here just to mock me?" Harry asked. "Because if you did, remind me later to kick myself for thinking you'd changed."

"No," Draco said. "It's just that it's been so long since I've made fun of you for anything, I couldn't help myself." He smirked and sat down on top of the desk nearest to him.

"Tell me about it," Harry said. "I had to pinch myself at breakfast to keep from saying something about the whole Quidditch incident on Saturday. Though I think we made up for it at dinner." He smiled slyly.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Please," he said, "kill me now. God, that was humiliating! I don't even know what happened and it was humiliating! For three days, all I hear is fifty different versions of what happened. Why, exactly, did you have to catch me?"

"Well," Harry said, annoyed at his lack of gratitude, "it was either that, or I let you hit the ground after falling from two hundred feet in the air. The chances are very high that, had I _not_ caught you, you wouldn't have survived."

"How do you figure?" Draco asked.

Harry looked at him like he was the dumbest person on the planet. "Because," he said, "you're bones are so fragile you would have shattered into a million tiny pieces." He stood for a moment before a confused look fell on his face. "Wait... why did I catch you again?"

"Oh, thanks! I love you too!" Draco said sarcastically.

Harry laughed and walked over to stand opposite him.

"So," Harry said, "why _did_ you ask me to meet you? That's only assuming that you're the one who sent me the note."

"I'm here, aren't I?"

"Well, yes, but you might have just been here by coincidence."

"It's not a coincidence."

"Then why am I here?"

Draco shrugged. "No reason," he said. "I've just been bored out of my mind for a while now. I wanted to talk to someone."

"Talk away," Harry said, yawning. "But, don't be offended if I'm not awake by the time you're finished. After all, it is two in the morning."

Draco stood. "Actually," he said, "I have a better idea." He stepped closer to Harry. So close that his face was only inches from that of the other boy's.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked. There was the smallest hint of fright in his voice, but he held his ground. _Holy shit, what is he doing?_

Instead of answering, Draco did the last thing anyone would ever have expected of the Slytherin. He grabbed Harry's chin and kissed him.

Harry couldn't do anything. He couldn't move... he couldn't think... he couldn't even breathe. He was completely frozen in place.

Then it ended.

Draco released him and stepped back, leaving Harry standing there, too shocked to say anything.

Finally, his temporary paralysis wore off. "Okay…" he said, "I'm awake… I promise. Just, next time you want me to listen to you… poke me. Please, God… just poke me." _He doesn't know…. I'm dreaming… he can't know!_

Draco smirked. "Oh, come now, Potter," he said. He dropped his voice to a whisper and added, "You know you liked it."

Harry's eyes widened. "I think that fall is finally catching up with you, Draco," he said. "You've gone insane!" _I'm dreaming… I'm dreaming…. This is all a horrifying dream because there's no way in hell that he knows!_

"Have I, now?" Draco said amused. "So, what you're trying to say is... you _didn't_ like it?"

"Wh-what?" Harry stuttered. "Of course I didn't like it!" _Fuck. He knows._

"Tisk, tisk," Draco said.

"What?" Harry asked cautiously.

"Lying does not become you," Draco replied. He once again stepped toward Harry. This time though, Harry also moved... away.

"How dense do you think I am, Potter?" Draco laughed.

"Right now, pretty dense," Harry said, moving still further from Draco. "I'm just going to assume that you don't know what you're doing. And when did you start calling me Potter again?" _God, I_ hope _he knows what he's doing… and I like Harry much better._

"Well, first," Draco said, "your assumptions are wrong... I know exactly what I'm doing. And second, hmm... let's see... about two minutes ago when it struck me that I felt like it."

Harry continued backing away until he realized he could no more... he had backed right up to the wall of the classroom.

Draco, however, kept moving toward Harry, and didn't stop until he was, again, only inches from the other boy.

Harry knew what was coming this time and tried to move away, but Draco was quicker. _Damn him! How does he know? And why is he tormenting me like this?_

Before Harry could move two inches, Draco had grabbed his wrists and was successful in pinning him to the wall.

_See, now that was just sexy._ "Why are you doing this?" Harry asked. _Why now? Why not three months ago when I wouldn't have liked it so much?_

Draco thought for a moment, then answered. "Because I can," he said. "And because I know that you'll eventually give up the act and admit that you like it."

He smiled at the look of horror on Harry's face. The _fake_ look of horror.

"You're insane!" Harry said. _And so goddamn sexy!_

"No," Draco said with a thoughtful look on his face, "just lacking in the area of liking females."

Harry looked at him. "Oh you have _got_ to be kidding me." _Yay, yay, YAY! Maybe it_ isn't _just to torment me!_

"What?" Draco asked innocently.

"Well," Harry replied, "I couldn't possibly have expected any more from _you_." _I think I'm going to faint!_

Draco rolled his eyes. "Oh, come off it, Potter," he said. "You're gay too, and you know it."

"So what if I am?" Harry said defensively. "Watcha gonna do about it? Huh?" Then he smiled and added, "Besides... what makes you think I'd be interested in _you_?" _Oh God, is_ that_ an understatement._

For a split second, Draco looked bewildered. But that look was quickly replaced by a smirk. "Because," he said, "who wouldn't want _this_?" He looked down at himself and then back up to Harry.

_Don't… make… me… look!_ "I can think of a few people," Harry said, still smiling. "Shall I give names?" _My name definitely not being on the list._

Draco's smile faded. "That's quite all right," he said.

"Umm... will you let go of me now?" Harry asked. _Please don't let go, please don't let go, please don't let go!_

Draco smiled again, folded his arms, and stepped away.

_Damn._

"So," Draco said. "The great 'Boy Who Lived' is now the great 'Boy Who Likes Other Boys'."

"Oh, just the thought that I'm gay makes you giddy, doesn't it?" Harry said. _God knows the reverse is true._

Draco decided to play along with Harry on this. "Right down to my toes," he said smirking.

Harry raised his eyebrows and attempted to hide his sheer glee. _Oh God, he actually likes me!_

"You want me, Potter," Draco said. "Admit it."

"Maybe," Harry replied.

Draco opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, Harry lunged at him, both of them crashing to the ground as he promptly attached his lips to the other boy's.

Hands were everywhere—on faces, on chests, and various :cough: other places. Harry flicked his tongue out and ran it over Draco's soft lips, begging for entrance.

Draco immediately obliged, allowing his tongue to fight for dominance with the Gryffindor's. He slowly slid his hands inside Harry's robes, giving him enough time to protest. To his delight, rather than pull back, the other boy hastily removed his outer robes as well as his shirt, leaving him in only his pants.

Draco eagerly followed his lead and, once sufficiently undressed, wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and pulled him close for a deep and fiery kiss.

Harry moaned at the feeling of Draco's pale skin on his own. He wanted to run his hands over every inch of the other boy, but instead pulled back and stared into his steel grey eyes.

"Well, that was certainly a pleasant surprise," Draco said as Harry retreated.

"Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting to do that?" Harry asked as he rolled onto his side and propped himself on his elbow.

"Really," Draco mused, staring up at the ceiling.

"God, it was torture."

"You certainly acted it."

"What do you mean?"

"You just looked so… tortured," Draco mocked, smiling at the look on Harry's face.

"You're mocking me, aren't you? I thought I said not to mock me."

"No, you asked if I was mocking you… you never said not to."

"Well, don't."

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

"And if I do?"

"I'll be forced to hurt you, much as it would pain me to do it."

"Hurt me how?" Draco smirked.

"Not like that, if that's what you mean."

"You talk too much."

"No I—"

"Would you just shut up?"

"But I—" He was cut off by Draco's lips latching to his own.

* * *

Now review, or DIE! RAWR! 


	15. Confessions

Well, happy two-year anniversary. I've decided to once again nurture my abandoned child. LOL. By the way, I realized while writing this chapter that toward the beginning of the story, I made a reference to Draco's sixteenth birthday... since I can't physically change it without a lot of effort on my own part, strike that, change it to his seventeenth. It makes more sense that way, anyhow.

I attempted a bit of smut... emphasis on the word attempted.

* * *

Harry awoke the next morning on the cold hard floor with stiff joints and a horrendous crick in his neck. He was just about to wonder why in Merlin's beard he was in such a position when he felt something shift beside him. He chanced a look to his right and was bewildered to find Draco curled up on the cold stone, as well—and _shirtless_, nonetheless. He quickly noticed by the cold draft that Draco was not the only one half naked.

_I must be dreaming,_ he thought. _I couldn't _possibly_ be this lucky._

Carefully, so as not to wake the sleeping boy, Harry extended one finger with which to prod the pale flesh… just for the sake of proving its corporeality. (A/N: that is SO a word, look it up. LOL) To his delight, his digit hit the smooth, warm, _solid_ skin.

Harry laid back down and sighed as he stared at the sleeping form, admiring the milky hair that was elegantly strewn about even in its disheveled state. He liked it better this color, rather than the multiple hues it had been that day on the train. By the second day of school, Draco had chosen to return _au natural_ in that particular region, though he had kept the piercings.

_Dear God, he's even gorgeous when he sleeps… manky git._ But Harry smiled despite himself. After all, he was slowly beginning to realize that the smarmy little ferret was _his_ manky git… or, he hoped so, anyway.

Harry inched slowly closer until he was only millimeters away. He could feel Draco's breath tickling his skin and he wrinkled his nose to keep from laughing out loud. He continued his examination of the pale figure before him, and on closer inspection, noticed the faintest hint of something nearly unbelievable, something he surely would be holding over the blonde's head for a long time to come. Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin Ice Prince, had freckles across his nose. And Harry had to admit, they were fucking adorable.

This time he couldn't stop himself… he did laugh out loud.

At the abrupt interruption of the calm silence, Draco's eyes fluttered open and he stared at Harry. "Did I miss something?" he drawled, clearly unamused.

Harry cleared his throat, but continued sniggering for a few seconds. "You have freckles."

"And?" the other boy replied, still unhappy with his rude awakening.

"And?" Harry said in disbelief. "And what? _You_, Draco, have freckles. And might I add, they're _extremely_ cute."

"Harry, I've always had freckles."

"Then why haven't _I_ ever noticed them?"

"Because you've never been this close to me before." And to emphasize his point, Draco wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and pulled him so that their bodies were flush against one another. He was pleased to hear Harry's audible whimper. "Any other imperfections you'd like to point out to me, love?"

"No imperfections, but did you know that your eyes have little hints of green in them?"

"So do yours." Draco smirked.

"Dracooo!" Harry whined. "My eyes _are_ green!"

Draco couldn't help himself, he tried to ignore it, but Harry was just so damn cute when he pouted, so he leaned forward and kissed the Gryffindor with all the passion he could muster.

Harry moaned against him and wrapped his arms around the other boy's slim figure.

Draco used this all to his advantage, as he hooked his leg around Harry's and pulled him hard so Harry was straddling him.

"Hmm," Harry purred against Draco's lips. "This is an interesting new development. When did you get so strong?"

"Love, I've always been this strong," Draco replied as he propped himself up on one arm, keeping the other slinked around Harry's waist and began kissing down his neck. "You were just never on the receiving end of it."

Harry shuddered at the feel of Draco's soft lips against his skin, and a faintly muttered, "Why not?" was all he could manage to get out before he all but melted against the firm body beneath him.

Draco stopped at this. He sat up and looked Harry straight in the eye. "Would you have wanted it?"

Harry squirmed at the sudden loss of affection. "Well, no, I suppose not, but—"

"But what?" Draco said, almost bitterly. "If not then, why now?"

Harry looked hurt at the abrupt about-face. "Well, things are different now." He paused a few seconds, but Draco said nothing. "Aren't they?"

Draco sighed and pulled the other boy toward him. "Yes, love, things are different now. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that, it's not your fault."

Harry pulled away. "But it is… all those years, I did nothing but torment you every chance I had… you have every reason to hate me right now."

Draco brushed Harry's cheek. "Did I not do the same? I had every opportunity to be the bigger person, but that day on the platform, I let my pride be so wounded that I had thought it was irreparable." He was silent for a few moments. "Then, in the Entrance Hall, you did the last thing I could ever have expected from you."

"And what's that?" Harry said solemnly.

"You _cared_, Harry! At the depth of my humility, out of all those people, _you_ were the one to extend your hand. Not Weasel, not Granger, you. Not one of those people would have done what you did, and you know it."

"You don't mean that," Harry said. "Surely _someone_ would have—"

"No, Harry, no one would have given it a second thought. Not even my own housemates were going to help me. But you did. Why?"

Harry shifted uncomfortably. "I—I don't know, it just seemed right."

"Seemed right? Please, don't toy with my emotions here. It was more than just that, wasn't it?"

"Well, it was—I don't know how to explain it. Something just told me I needed to do it."

Draco was visibly more satisfied with this answer. "So it wasn't just your Gryffindor bleeding heart tendencies screaming at you to do right by your morals. You _wanted_ to help me."

"Yes," Harry said cautiously, "I did want to help you. Seeing you there, with all the Malfoy honor and glory stripped away, it was like seeing you for the first time. You were human—you had flaws, you had _feeling_… you had fear in your eyes…. No, it wasn't my Gryffindor bleeding heart tendencies or my morals. It was… more, but I don't know what. You had bare emotion all over your face, and your eyes flickered with… _something_. It was impulse, and yet it wasn't. Oh nevermind, I'm not even making any sense now."

"I think you're making more sense than you give yourself credit for."

Harry looked up, confused.

"Don't you get it? I've wanted this—" he gestured between the two of them, "—for six years. Well, not this, exactly… I was only eleven, I didn't really know what it was I wanted from you. But I knew I wanted you…." Draco trailed off and looked away, ashamed of what he'd just admitted.

Harry put his hand on Draco's and had to fight not to pull back when Draco jerked in reflex.

Draco continued with his eyes still down. "I had finally convinced myself it would never happen." He looked up at Harry. "And then you had to go and bare your Gryffindor bleeding heart." He chuckled lightly as he looked away again, but in that small moment Harry did not miss the fact that it never reached his eyes.

"What are you getting at, Draco?"

Draco snorted halfheartedly. "I don't even know, anymore. I just have this sick feeling that none of this is real… that I'm dreaming it all, and when I wake up, everything will be as it was."

Harry grabbed Draco's chin and pulled his face upward, looking him straight on. "Do you really think all this _could_ be a dream?" To make his point perfectly clear, he brought his lips to the other boy's—not in the fierce, hormonal way that their previous kisses had been, but in a soft, gentle manner. And in that one kiss, he conveyed every last feeling he had for the Slytherin… every _new_ feeling.

When Harry broke the kiss, he simply stared at Draco. After a few moments, however, he broke the silence. "You know, you were right about that day in the hall."

When Draco had no response, Harry continued. "I reached out to you because I did care… I think I always have and would just never admit it, even to myself. But I did care, and I do care, and I will care, if you'll just let me."

And for the first time since that night at the beginning of the year, Draco smiled, _truly_ smiled. Sure, he'd mastered the mask once again, and he'd utilized his trademark Malfoy smirk, but he had never managed a real smile, one that reached all the way to his eyes.

Draco kissed Harry lightly and didn't even feel the need for words, as he was sure his facial expression confessed it all.

Shortly thereafter, the two stood and donned their forgotten school robes.

"So," Draco said casually, "what time do you suppose it is?"

"It's nearly lunchtime," Harry said immediately, and when Draco looked at him questioningly, he added, "I have an uncanny internal clock. I'm never wrong."

Draco just laughed. "One more reason to like you. Think they're missing us by now?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Oh, surely… we'll certainly have some explaining to do."

"Good thing it's Saturday, though… at least we didn't miss any classes."

Harry stopped and looked at the other boy incredulously. "I think you may need to go see Madame Pomphrey again... that blow to the head is really catching up with you."

"Why do you say that?"

"...Draco, it's Wednesday..."

Draco turned, horrified. "Oh, damn it all to hell, we had Potions this morning!"

And with that he ran from the classroom, not even thinking to say goodbye.

Harry just laughed. This was going to be the start of a gloriously odd relationship, that much was certain.

* * *

Well, let's just say that chapter didn't even remotely go as I had planned it, but oh well.

Really, it was terrible, wasn't it? Please, be honest...


	16. You Did WHAT?

Comic relief, anyone? Maybe just a little?

* * *

"Harry James Potter, you had better start explaining _right this instant_!"

Harry looked sheepishly at a livid Hermione and shrugged.

"Don't you take that tone with me!"

Harry started to protest that a shrug could have no tone, but decided it best not to agitate the already fuming teen. He instead stayed silent.

Hermione continued to glare.

Harry finally sighed. "It's a long story."

"Then we're going to have a long day," Hermione shot back. "And no one's going to dinner until you've spilled it."

Ron blanched. "No dinner? But 'Mione, what did _I_ do wrong?"

"Shut it, Ronald!" Hermione turned her attention back to Harry.

Harry bit his lip and nodded.

"Good." Hermione forced a tight-lipped smile. "Where have you been all day? Ronald said you never went to bed last night. And you certainly weren't in class this morning."

Harry shifted uncomfortably. "Well, I, er, went for a walk last night, and uh—" He trailed off.

"And?" Hermione prodded.

"And, I guess I must have gotten tired and dozed off…."

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "One more question, then?"

"I suppose, yeah…."

"Why, pray tell, was Malfoy missing from class, as well, only to show up in the Great Hall just moments before you?"

Harry paled slightly.

Ron paled even more. "Aw, Harry, mate… tell me you didn't. Please!"

"Okay, I didn't," Harry said immediately.

"Oh dear Merlin," Hermione said. "You slept with Malfoy, didn't you?"

"No," Harry said out of reflex. He was silent for a few moments. "Not exactly…."

"Then _what_, exactly?" Hermione said as she folded her arms across her chest.

Ron, of course, was staring at Harry dumbly with his mouth hanging open.

"Well, I guess _technically_ speaking, one could say that I did…." He then added quickly, "But nothing really happened!"

"How does that work?"

"We were just talking… and then talking led to, well, stuff, but not too much stuff! Then I guess we just fell asleep."

"Uh huh," Hermione said in disbelief.

Ron was still staring with his mouth hanging open.

"And that's the truth," Harry said as he ran out of the common room as quickly as possible.

And Ron was _still_ staring where Harry had just stood with his mouth hanging open.

* * *

Back in the Slytherin common room, Draco was not having any more luck than Harry...

"You did _what_!?" shrieked a mortified Pansy Parkinson. "With _who_!?"

Draco clapped his hand over her mouth. "Zip it, skank, or you'll be swimming with the merpeople."

"You fucking slept with the goddamned Boy Wonder and you expect me to stay _calm_!?" Pansy whispered fiercely when Draco had removed his hand.

"I did _not_ have sex with him, if that's what you're wondering."

"No," Pansy said in a sarcastic matter-of-fact tone, "you didn't. That much is obvious. But you damn sure want to."

Draco blushed. "So? Wouldn't anybody?"

"Okay, so you have a point there."

Draco sunk into a chair by the fire and buried his face in his hands.

Pansy sat on the arm rest and put her hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong now, Drakie?"

"I am so royally fucked," came the muffled voice from behind pale fingers.

"Aw, why would you say that?" Pansy soothed. "He obviously likes you. You'd be daft not to see that."

"Yeah, and how much do you suppose he's going to like me when it comes down to doing that and he realizes I've no idea what I'm doing? He'll laugh at me... I'll be humiliated! He's probably been with scores of people, and who have I been with? No one!"

"Well, whose fault is that? It's damn sure not from lack of offers."

Draco huffed. "Well, forgive me, woman, if I wanted _something_ in my life to remain untainted."

"Aw," Pansy cooed, "how cute! My little Drakie-poo wants his first time to be special!"

"Fuck off," Draco said as he waved his hand dismissively. "Just because you're a loose whore doesn't mean the rest of us have to be."

"I'm going to pretend like you didn't say that."

"Pretend away," he replied as he rose from the chair and once again began pacing.

"You know what would be really funny," Pansy said after a few minutes of silence.

"What?"

"If Mr. Golden Boy himself is thinking the same things you are."

Draco quirked an eyebrow.

"Well," Pansy explained, "for all you know, he's been with as many people as you have, which obviously is a big fat zero, and is pacing his own little heart out worrying that _he_ will disappoint _you_."

"Yes," Draco said in mock sincerity without even smiling, "that's so funny I may just break a rib."

He finally shook his head and grabbed her arm. "Come on, I'm hungry, let's go eat."

* * *

That was worse than the last chapter, wasn't it? Damns...


	17. Oi, Could this day get any worse?

So... I know you guys keep bitching about my chapters being too short, but you're going to have to just bite your lips and take it. I'm anal retentive about my chapters ending in the right place—as dumb as that sounds—so that's where I end them. Were I to end them anywhere else, they just wouldn't settle right with me. So, I guess I'm apologizing ahead of time for this chapter being "too short," as I know _someone_ will feel the need to inform me of its inadequate length. Now, on wth the chapter!

* * *

Harry walked into the Great Hall and immediately made a beeline for the Slytherin table, hoping and praying to the gods above that the Slytherins were as accepting of his presence there as the Gryffindor's had been of Draco's as of late. He slid into the seat directly beside Draco, and although he received a few questioning looks, he was relieved to note that no one seemed too concerned with their newest addition.

Just as he sat, the doors to the Great Hall burst open and in stormed a fuming Hermione, followed by Ron, who looked, to say the least, shocked, appalled, and horrorstruck as ever.

"Help!" Harry squeaked as he sunk lower in his seat and attempted to shield his face from view, though it was no use, as he had already been spotted.

"Pansy, if you don't mind," was all Draco needed to say.

"On it," the girl replied as she picked up her plate and moved swiftly to occupy the seat on Harry's other side, effectively flanking him and preventing any impending conquests.

This action stopped Hermione dead in her tracks as she glared at the offending intruder.

Pansy simply smiled sweetly and waved, giggling as Ron collided with Hermione.

Once Hermione had regained her composure and thoroughly slapped Ron for interfering with her death glare, she huffed and changed her route to instead end at her own house's table.

As soon as Hermione and Ron had taken their seats across the hall, Draco was no longer able to contain his laughter and proceeded to pound one fist against the table while the other hand wiped tears away from his eyes.

Harry turned a fierce glare on the other boy. "I'm not sure I see what's so funny!" he whispered furiously.

Draco continued to laugh, but attempted to respond. "I'm sorry… but you… and Granger's face… and Weasely… and the… and… and… too much!"

Harry simply stared, clearly unamused.

Draco finally got his fit under control, though he still snickered a little. "What was that about, anyway?"

"What do you think!?" Harry hissed.

Draco stopped laughing. His eyes flashed with embarrassment and his cheeks flushed. "Oh… they know about that?"

This time it was Pansy's turn to erupt in laughter. "Oh, this is just too rich."

Both boys hung their heads in silence, and for the next ten minutes, the only sound that could be heard from the two was the scraping of metal as they both pushed their food around their plates with their forks.

Finally, Draco lifted his head to glance sideways and mutter, "By the way, we have detention with Snape tonight at nine."

Harry's eyes widened slightly before he dropped his head completely, letting it bang against the table with a loud thud. He continued to abuse himself in this manner while speaking in rhythm. "This. Day. Could. Not. Possibly. Get. Any. Worse."

And with that final word, Harry made a show of slamming his head against the table one last time, then sliding from his seat to land in a tangled and melodramatic heap on the floor underneath the table.

Draco and Pansy both poked their heads under the table and fought to suppress their grins.

"Comfy down there, Potter?" Draco drawled.

Harry frowned. "Don't you take that tone with me, Draco Malfoy. This is _your_ fault! _You_ got us into this mess!"

Draco looked taken aback. "_Me_? How is this _my_ fault!?"

"Who's idea was it to meet in that bloody classroom in the first place, huh?" Harry whispered fiercely.

Draco blushed and looked more than a little hurt. "Well, you came, didn't you!?" he whispered back.

"Yeah, but in my defense, I didn't even know who—"

"Uh, guys," Pansy interrupted after she had returned from peeking over the top of the table, "people are starting to stare…."

"Well that's just peachy, Potter," Draco hissed. "Now look what you've done!"

Harry started to protest, but was cut off when Draco grabbed the front of his robes and hauled him out from underneath the table, shoving him hard into his seat.

Draco went back to playing with his food for no more than a few seconds before his head snapped back in Harry's direction. He grinned manically, taking in Harry's disheveled and misshapen appearance before he began to chuckle.

"What's so funny this time?" Harry said moodily as he rested his head on his hand and continued to stare at his plate.

"Well, you were down there for fair amount of time, and you certainly have that 'just been sexed' look about you…."

Harry took a sip of pumpkin juice, not really paying attention to what Draco was saying.

Draco continued. "And I'd say, in my expert opinion, and judging by the horrified stares that are being directed toward us at the moment, that it quite looks like you just went down on me right here in the middle of dinner for all to see."

That particular comment _did_ catch Harry's ears. And as proof of it, pumpkin juice shot straight from his mouth and he proceeded to choke and gag on it in horror while Pansy and Draco both exploded in peals of laughter.

* * *

Sorry for being so bitchtastic... don't take it personally... just having a bad day... But, you know... reviews alwas make bad days better...


	18. Detention

OMG, could it be!? LOL. The moment we've all been anxiously awaiting, me included (and I really mean that). This chapter is not for the kiddies, so shoo. Seriously, children should not be reading this stuff, it will rot your brain worse than candy will rot your teeth. Take it from someone who knows.

* * *

Draco was the first to arrive in the dungeons that night for Snape's detention, and was met with an amused smirk from his Potions professor.

The blonde quirked an eyebrow in his teacher's direction in an unspoken question.

"Care to explain why Potter was cowering under the Slytherin table at dinner tonight?"

Draco snorted. "Hiding from Granger, why else?"

Snape chuckled and continued. "Then I wonder if you could also tell me why Mr. Potter and yourself are attending detention with me in the first place."

Draco paled a bit, but recovered quickly, and with as much haughty confidence as he could muster, replied, "Well, because you told us to, of course!"

Snape narrowed his eyes, but continued to smirk, highly amused by the almost undetectable discomfort he was causing his favorite pupil. "Don't pretend that you don't know exactly what I'm talking about. Malfoys are not ignorant."

Snape waited for a moment, but when Draco showed no sign of responding, he decided to elaborate on his theory. "You see, Draco, normally I would think nothing of Potter's absence from my class, as his lack of appearance before the two of you… befriended each other was more than frequent. However, it seems that you have had a very positive influence on him, as his marks and attendance alike have, quite frankly, skyrocketed. And, to top it all off, couple his sudden regression to his previous bad habits with the fact that you, after six years of perfect attendance, somehow just _happen_ to miss the exact same class, and then the two of you _coincidentally_ show up in the Great Hall with your ideas of fashionably late matching almost to the minute…. Well, Draco, I have a very active imagination, and it would behoove you to set the record straight for me before I concoct a hypothetical situation that would be far more humiliating than what actually took place.

By the end of Snape's speech, or rant, as would be a better description, Draco was visibly mortified. He opened his mouth several times to say something, but failed at every try. Finally, he managed to choke out, "It's not what you think!"

"I should hope not," Snape drawled. "Perhaps you would care to enlighten me?"

Draco shifted uncomfortably, and just as he had opened his mouth to confess what he hoped was a decently believable line of bull shit, Harry came running through the door looking even more unkempt than he had at dinner.

Snape's face immediately changed from a smirk to a sneer. "You're late."

"Sorry, Professor," Harry said, breathing heavily. "There was a bit of a… hold up in the Great Hall."

"So I noticed," Snape replied snidely. "No matter. I should have expected no more from _you_. The two of you will commence with your detention. You will be venturing to the clearings just inside the perimeter of the Forbidden Forest to collect the specimens I will require for our next conjoined potion project. And you can wipe those miserable looks off your faces, I won't be doling out sympathies tonight. You may leave whenever you wish, as there's no way you will be able to retrieve the required amount in one night. Therefore, you will continue to go back each night until you have succeeded." He turned around and grabbed a piece of parchment and a crate full of empty vials and containers. "Here is a list of what I need and everything you will need to store it."

After he had handed the supplies over, he swept out of the dungeons, leaving the two boys groaning in his wake.

Harry and Draco made their way silently to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, both feeling slightly awkward and uncomfortable after the day's—and the previous night's—events.

Finally, they reached the first clearing just inside the Forbidden Forest's outer ring of trees.

Harry reached in his pocket and removed the shrunken crate of vials, returning it to its original size before setting it on the grass. He then lowered himself to the ground and proceeded to open up the crumpled piece of parchment and scrutinize its instructions.

After a few minutes of quiet reading, he looked up at Draco, who was still standing in the same place he had been when they'd stopped.

Draco sighed. "We're going to be here for a while, aren't we?"

Harry merely nodded and flopped on his back, letting loose a loud and dramatic sigh.

Draco contemplated his next move for a few moments, then mimicked Harry's position, careful to keep a good six inches or so between the two of them to discourage contact. He wanted to steer as far clear from any and all awkward moments as possible.

"So," Harry said casually, "what do we do now?"

Draco shrugged. "I don't know. Our detention, I suppose."

Harry snorted. "Like hell. I fully intend to make his slimy little life as miserable as he makes mine. If we don't give him his supplies, he can't make us do the potion."

Draco turned his head and raised an eyebrow.

Harry laughed. "Oh, we'll gather the supplies… eventually. But there's nothing wrong with taking our sweet time doing it."

"So let me get this straight… you want to _prolong_ our detention simply for the purpose of being a pain in Snape's ass?"

Harry looked thoughtful for a moment and then smiled. "Yeah, that sounds about the gist of it. Besides… it's a good excuse to get out of the castle."

Draco stared at him blankly, then broke into a grin. "I like it!"

Harry laughed. "Well, well, well… Draco Malfoy, ganging up on Snape. What is the world coming to?"

Draco just shrugged. "What can I say? You must be rubbing off on me."

Harry snickered at the innuendo that Draco obviously hadn't noticed, but decided not to point out its irony.

"So," Draco said, "what are we going to do instead of being productive?"

Harry got a mischievous look on his face. "Who says we won't be productive?" And with that, he rolled over so that he was on top of Draco, straddling him and effectively pinning him to the ground.

Draco gasped in surprise and Harry immediately took advantage of the situation by attacking the other boy's mouth with his own.

For one small instant, Draco was about to fight back, to protest that they should at least _try_ to make some headway on their detention.

That moment was quickly and successfully stabbed, gutted, and ultimately silenced as Harry's fingers fumbled to undo the first few buttons on Draco's shirt and his mouth moved lower to nip and suck at the pale collarbone beneath him.

Draco shivered from both the sensation of Harry's teeth on his skin and the cold air that assaulted his now very exposed flesh—after all, it _was_ the middle of October.

Harry must have been very perceptive, because without so much as a pause in his actions and with a simple flick of his wrist—no wand or words spoken—he had cast a warming spell around them.

Draco made a mental note to—when he was not so damn distracted—ask Harry how in the bloody hell he could do wandless _and_ nonverbal magic, let alone both at the same time. But he barely had time to finish his thoughts before he had once again melted into the other boy's arms.

Without breaking the contact of his mouth to Draco's pale neck, one of Harry's hands reached up to curl his fingers through Draco's hair while the other one worked at the rest of the buttons on his shirt. When he had managed to remove the offending garment, Harry finally lifted his head. His breath hitched in his throat slightly as he took in the sight of the boy beneath him.

Draco was, suffice it to say, stunningly gorgeous in any and every possible way. His cheeks were flushed in a light shade of pink that perfectly contrasted with his pale skin and his hair was strewn askew, but just as it had been that morning, even in its mussed up state, it still looked soft and shiny and gloriously touchable. His lips were parted just barely and he appeared to be panting, and even within the confines of the warming spell, Harry could see the boy's breath forming small white puffs in the air.

Harry ran one hand down Draco's cheek, watching with building lust as the blonde lashes fluttered together, and let his fingers continue to lightly trace a line down the muscled torso. Draco was still as thin as ever, but not nearly as fragile looking as Harry had imagined—his entire upper body had been toned from years of Quidditch.

Harry let out a breath he hadn't quite realized he was holding and a small smile curled at his lips.

"What are you grinning about?" Draco asked skeptically.

Harry's smile broadened as he replaced his roaming hand on Draco's cheek and moved the other hand to rest on the boy's chest. He leaned forward and kissed Draco lightly before whispering softly, "You."

Draco's face twisted into obvious confusion, so Harry elaborated.

"You're just so… perfect."

Draco's cheeks turned an even brighter shade of pink as he tried to hide his shy smile. "You're not so bad, yourself. And might I also mention that your amount of clothing is not proportional to mine?"

Harry chuckled as Draco's hands moved tentatively up to the collar of his shirt and began working the buttons out of their fasteners. "I suppose you intend to fix that, eh?"

As Draco pushed Harry's shirt off of his shoulders, he wrapped his arms around the raven haired boy's neck and pulled his lips to his own. "Yes," he said between his bouts of kissing.

Harry sighed as he finally let loose all the pent up lust he had inside him. He began grabbing furiously for any bit of flesh he could get his hands on, and his reward was a muffled moan from the figure beneath him. He bit lightly on Draco's lip and, while one of his hands was still clutching at the soft blonde hair, he dared to let the other venture lower. He paused when he hit the waistband of the other boy's trousers, waiting for any sign of objection. When his only response was being gripped tighter, he figured it was as good a time as any and started to pull the belt free.

His hands were shaking now, and his heart was thumping madly against his chest, but he refused to chicken out. What would Draco think of him, then? So he forced himself to continue. It seemed eternities later that he had finally removed the belt and undone the trousers. He opened his eyes to brave one last look at Draco, and as he did, relief washed over him. The other boy was as inexplicably and shamelessly mortified as he was.

Something about the look of sheer terror in Draco's eyes gave Harry an unexpected and overwhelming feeling of confidence, and in that moment, he wanted nothing more than to erase that horrified look and replace it with one of pleasure. With a reassuring smile, he captured Draco's lips with his own and let his hand travel the few extra inches, wrapping his fingers around his prize.

Draco's eyes snapped shut and he inhaled sharply as his hips jerked reflexively. Harry's lips moved like velvet over his own, and not for the first time, he wondered what it would feel like if those same lips replaced the hand that was currently stroking him into blissful oblivion.

That thought sent a shudder of passion through Draco's entire body, bringing with it a timid but determined mindset. With one hand curled possessively around the back of Harry's neck, Draco mustered up every ounce of courage he could rally to mimic the other boy's most recent feat.

He was filled with an immensely satisfying sense of pleasure when his actions elicited a wanton moan. His stationary hand left the nape of Harry's neck and moved upward, curling its fingers in the unruly black hair; his other hand began to move in time with Harry's.

Draco moved his mouth to Harry's neck and nibbled on the soft flesh, relishing in the noises being made from the onslaught. He continued his assault downward as far as he could reach and ended up grazing his teeth lightly over the taut chest.

It was becoming increasingly hard to concentrate on anything but the glorious warmth and pressure of Harry's hand, and within a few minutes, Draco let out a throaty moan as he came with one last thrust against the other boy. Harry followed suit a few moments later, biting lightly on Draco's bottom lip.

The two boys lie tangled together and breathing heavily for several minutes before Harry finally performed another one of his miraculous nonverbal wandless spells to clean them both up. He rolled on his side facing Draco and reached over to twine their fingers together, smiling contentedly.

Harry had assumed that after all was said and done, he would feel ashamed, embarrassed, or at the very least, incredibly awkward. But, Merlin save him, all he could think of was how happy he was… that he just wanted to pull the blonde closer and never let go.

After an hour or so of just lazing about, Harry finally got up, stretching, and said, "I suppose we should gather some of these supplies."

Draco snorted in laughter as he stood, as well. "You want to start looking _now_? It's half past midnight already!"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Think like a wizard, Draco, not like a muggle. You seem to be forgetting how useful that little stick-thing you always carry in your pocket can be."

Draco's brow furrowed in confusion.

Harry just heaved an exasperated sigh and proceeded to 'accio' several items from their long list, placing them all in their own separate vials.

Draco stood in stunned silence and Harry couldn't help but laugh at the look on his face.

"Why the hell didn't _I_ ever think of that!?"

"You know," Harry replied, "I really don't know. I would have thought you'd be the first to use magic to your advantage in detentions."

"Wow… I feel like a damned half blood."

"Hey, now!" Harry shot defensively.

Draco grinned sheepishly. "No offense."

"Yeah, sure. Whatever." But he laughed, all the same.

Draco just shook his head.

"Well, I suppose this is enough for one night… just enough not to raise suspicions, but still not too much to keep us from coming back a few more times."

That said, Draco shrunk the crate and volunteered to drop off their findings with Snape on his way to his dorm. He started to walk off when Harry snatched his arm and spun him back around. "What are—" he started, but was cut off when Harry's lips crushed against his in a searing kiss.

When Harry stepped back, he didn't even say anything. He just smiled and grabbed Draco's hand, pulling him toward the castle. They walked hand in hand in silence until they reached the main path to the castle's entrance. At that point, they reluctantly let go of each other as they continued to trudge forward.

Once inside the castle, the boys paused for a moment in a silent goodbye before they both turned and went their separate ways, each wondering to themselves how they'd managed to survive so long without the other.

* * *

Be merciful. That was my first attempt at smut. Okay, that's a lie... I've _attempted_ smut before. Let me rephrase it, then... that was my first _successful_ attempt at smut. And I know, it was very... PG-13 smut, if even. But it was the best I could do. Sooo, love it, hate it, couldn't give a shit either way? Tell me it was great, tell me it sucked, just tell me _something_. I work better with reviews... my brain gets more creative, and such. :)


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